Tag Archives: christian fiction

📚 Suicide Watch by Janell 📚

What you don’t know can kill you. A wave of suicidal behavior has gripped the nation with no concern for race, gender, or age. Many think it’s just a trend, but inspirational singer Candace Tremont knows better. Since witnessing the suicide of her husband five years prior, she’s committed her life to fighting the spirit of depression. Unfortunately, suicidal thoughts and dreams also plague her mind, making the war more personal than anyone around her realizes. Unfulfilled with periodic and low-paying gigs, Candace yearns for an opportunity to touch more lives. Her prayers are answered—or so it seems—when she is offered a temporary job at Ontario Correctional Facility, performing for suicidal female inmates. A surge of self-harming behaviors has put the facility at risk for shut down, and Candace’s music might be the staff’s final hope of keeping their jobs. In addition to a substantial fee, Candace is given the assistance of the handsome Julius Barnes, one of the prison’s psychologists who believes her music can help reduce the lethal behaviors of the incarcerated population. However, Apollius, a fallen angel committed to destruction, has other ideas for the inmates, and won’t give up his control over these women so easily. A supernatural battle of epic proportions has ignited in Upstate New York, and the consequences could be fatal. Are Candace’s songs of faith powerful enough to save the lives of the inmates and keep the facility from closing down indefinitely? Or will her interference with Apollius’ plan make her the next target?

REVIEW:

Following the death of her husband, Candace Tremont felt her life was in shambles. Knowing she’d never lived to her full potential during her marriage, Candace finds new purpose after death. Julius Barnes can’t believe that Letizia is gone, by suicide no less. At the funeral of his childhood friend and celebrity, Julius lays eyes on Candace whom he hasn’t seen in years. After hearing her singing the most tranquil, spirit lifting words he’s ever heard, Julius feels a peace beyond understanding.

Either through sheer coincidence or divine interaction that their paths crossed Candace and Julius lives both changes after that chance meeting. Back at OCF, Julius’ job as Psychologist is on shaky ground after the double suicide of two inmates within the same hour. Feeling as his back is against the wall, Julius urges his supervisor to take on a daring and drastic therapeutic session for group therapy.

Dark forces are working hard to destroy the lives of inmates at OCF, will their plan succeed and successful close the doors to the facility? Apollius’ is confident in his conniving and views his imminent success as the gateway to greater deeds in the underworld.

It is my whole hearted opinion that the main goal of any author is to have their work reach out and touch the reader in profound ways. Although this is a fictional novel, the depths of the words and meaning goes far beyond mere fiction. This author has undertaken a subject matter that affects millions of people daily. Depression is a common but serious mood disorder. Combining spirituality and music therapy to combat the stronghold of depression brings this fictional piece to reality. This book evokes robust reactions at various times while holding the you captive with each passionate stroke of her pen.

While I highly recommend this book, I must include this disclaimer: this book is highly suggestive. The language while not vulgar nor overbearing with Christianity does deal with the spiritual warfare of souls. Most all religions believe in the forces of good and evil and that spirits can dwell in beings and words.

📚 THE RIGHTEOUS SIN 📚

Have you ever trusted God for something so strong, that nothing else mattered?

Not wanting to be ‘spoilt goods’, Sister Georgina holds onto her virginity as evidence of her fundamentalist Christian beliefs. However, she never anticipated the challenges facing an African American woman in Washington D.C. with a very limited supply of eligible men and her growing sexual frustration.
Sister Georgina’s faith in God is unwavering and she strives to be the perfect Christian woman in order to be the perfect Christian wife. Without hesitation or reservation, she pushes her beliefs onto everyone who is willing (or not willing) to listen and doesn’t mind that her quest for “holy perfection” leads straight into a world of alienation. Despite the obstacles, she believes that by sticking to God’s plan, He will provide the man of her dreams. Unfortunately, Sister Georgina discovers that things don’t always go as planned.

The Righteous Sin follows the evolution of Sister Georgina from a child through adulthood as she seeks to make sense of the world in which she finds herself. But an unspoken request, together with thoughts that have “haunted” her since childhood, finally awakens something deep within, causing her to take an unexpected turn in her journey by committing the Righteous Sin.

REVIEW:

Sister Georgina learned at an early age the art of prayer and being a faithful servant of God and your marriage. Watching her mother, she vowed to one day live up to her righteousness. In doing so Sister Georgina became a faithful steward of the church.

Can someone be too Holy? Sister Georgina in her quest to be the best Christian possible becomes the type of Christian most people avoid. She’s condescending and arrogant yet she doesn’t see that in herself. She only sees her services to the church and God in the best way.

The growth of Sister Georgina is also hindered by her almost passive ways. No, she doesn’t let people tell her what to do, or how to do it, but her interpretation of faith and the lesson she learned from her mother stunted her growth. This act leads Sister Georgina down the path of acceptance. Budding on the age of 40 Sister Georgina was desperate to fulfill her just cause, a wife, and mother. This lead to her pursuing and accepting a proposal from a man that wasn’t even into her. Like He didn’t have any feelings for Sister Georgina at all. Three years into the marriage and still a virgin, Sister Georgina almost has an awakening.

I received this book in exchange for an honest review. And honestly, I put it down several times. I couldn’t get into it, in the beginning, chapeters. Sister Georgina worked my last nerve with her righteous. However never failing to complete a review, I started over and over until finally I completed this novel. The book was well written, the characters cause emotions to stem within you. The development and process of the storyline were well thought out. I just couldn’t get past that first couple of chapters. They were detailed and progressed at a slow pace. Overall this book has a lesson buried deep within if you can trudge past the beginning.

About the Author & Book:

The Righteous Sin is a must read novel that will take you on an emotional rollercoaster while dealing with controversial topics that other novels dare not mention. From themes of perfectionism, food addiction, marriage as idolatry, desperation, mental health and even social awkwardness, The Righteous Sin is sure to keep you turning the pages until its unforgettable climax.

The Righteous Sin will have you looking at the way you view the world, yourself, love, faith, and sin.

Dr. Berry is a clinical social worker with nearly 25 years of experience in the field. She was born in London, England of Caribbean parents and has lived in the U.S. for the past twelve years.

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ONCE UPON A SUNDAY by Renee Allen McCoy

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance. –John 10:10, AMP

Good Friday started off as anything but that for Melinda Black. After losing her job and self-dignity, a series of events cascade her onto an emotionally charged roller coaster ride that drastically changed her life forever.

Will Melinda be able to handle the pressure when she stands to lose what’s most important in her life?

Once Upon a Sunday is an inspirational short story.

REVIEW:

Melinda Black is having a rough day rough couple of months. After her husband has an affair, Melinda just can’t seem to get back to normal. After snapping one too many times at work she loses her job and the roller coaster ride begins. Her close friends try to help and keep her spirits lifted but Melinda’s faith has long since wavered. Good Friday changes her forever.

This novella was a good change of pace read. The story line was thought out, but the characters could’ve used a tad more development. Anyone whose ever been in a relationship should be able to relate to the frustrations Melinda is going through.

4Stars

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Wife without a Ring by A’ndrea Wilson

Shawna Claxton couldn’t care less about capturing the coveted promotion at her job or having a fulfilling career. There is only one position she wants and has waited her entire life to get—to be a housewife. Though her friends think she is old fashioned, her current beau, NFL kicker Andy Tate, loves the idea. But when Andy finally proposes—in an unromantic way and without a ring—Shawna finds herself engaged in a very public battle between getting the man and getting the bling.

REVIEW:

Every little girl dreams of a huge storybook wedding, and enchanting proposal and her knight in shining armor down on one knee. For Shawna, becoming a wife is all she’s ever wanted. And after two years of dating NFL kicker Andy Tate, she’s been dropping hints left and right. However when those dreams are shattered chaos ensues. Shawna and Andy emerge as Pittsburgh’s newest hot couple and many aspects of their engagement are front and center. Will Shawna learn what’s more important the bling or the man?

I enjoyed this novella the story-line was entertaining without being overly preachy. As a Christian fiction inspirational story the book contained a valuable lesson that any aspiring wife should know. 5 stars

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IF I SHOULD DIE BEFORE I WAKE by

Pat Simmons

SYNOPSIS:

It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassion’s fail not. They are new every morning, great is Thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23
God’s mercies are sure; His promises are fulfilled; but a dawn of a new morning is God’ grace.

If you need a testimony about God’s grace, then If I Should Die Before I Wake will encourage your soul. Nothing happens in our lives by chance. If you need a miracle, God’s got that too. Trust Him.

Has it been a while since you’ve had a testimony? Increase your prayer life, build your faith and walk in victory because without a test, there is no testimony.

Pat Simmons is the award-winning and bestselling author of the Guilty series.

REVIEW:

Now I lay me down to sleep,I pray the Lord my soul to keep,If I shall die before I wake,I pray the Lord my soul to take.

Many nights I remembered reciting this pray to myself, to my nieces/nephews and grands. In this flash story, Pat Simmons recounts the night that changes her life and leads her to lean heavily on her faith. I really couldn’t imagine going through that amount of torment dealing with seizures and unknown causes. If I should die before I wake is an awesome testimony. The story was short and yet vivid. However at 75 % it begin a steady stream of advertisements of other works. As a writer I understand giving previews but as a reader it takes away from the reading experience. I’d give this 4 stars if it wasn’t for all the previews. 3 Stars.